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Vice Media and ESPN Enter Production and Distribution Deal Across Digital, Mobile, and TV

VICE Sports to produce exclusive new short-form series for ESPN, as well as distribute new episodes of ongoing franchise across ESPN’s channels

Select documentaries from ESPN Films’ Emmy-nominated 30 for 30 series to re-air on newly launched VICELAND television network later this year

As part of a new agreement, VICE and ESPN announced that they will be joining forces for the first time. VICE Sports will produce new original series to air exclusively on ESPN properties—TV, digital, and mobile. Select films from ESPN’s renowned documentary series 30 for 30 will air on VICELAND, the new cable network from VICE.

The deal means great new programming for viewers, bringing the best of ESPN to VICE’s audience, and broadening ESPN’s offerings to include content from the leading youth media brand.

“Growing up watching ESPN I came to love the brand and their content. Maybe a little too much. The amount of manly tears shed over various 30 for 30’s throughout the years has been nothing short of embarrassing,” said Shane Smith, Co-Founder and CEO, VICE Media. “To be teaming up with ESPN, creating brand new sports shows for them, and then showing 30 for 30’s on VICELAND is perhaps one of the favorite moments in my professional life. I can now die a happy man. No, wait, we have to take over the world first! Here it comes baby, VICE WORLD OF SPORTS!!”

Added John Skipper, President, ESPN, Inc. and Co-Chairman, Disney Media Networks, “Evoking manly tears from Shane Smith is no small task, and I take immense pride in that. Shane and the team at VICE do an extraordinary job presenting stories through their own, very unique lens – and working with them will help to bring a new perspective to our storytelling. I am confident that the content borne out of this collaboration will be a win for fans of ESPN, VICE and storytelling in general. And I applaud Shane for understanding that television is the smartest path to worldwide leadership.”

The production and distribution agreement includes:

VICE Sports and ESPN Films will create brand-new short-form series to run across both ESPN and VICE properties. Original shows in development will take audiences around the world to look at dominant athletes, fascinating characters and championship events that reside outside the mainstream. Additionally, VICE and ESPN are developing a short-form animated series.

Select VICE Sports series including original episodes of The Clubhouse will run across ESPN’s linear and digital channels, including WatchESPN.

Films from ESPN’s critically acclaimed documentary series 30 for 30 will re-air on VICELAND.

ESPN will feature digital cutdowns of the VICELAND show VICE World of Sports, after programming premieres on VICELAND. Full episodes of VICE World of Sports will air on ESPN properties.

VICE World of Sports premiered on VICELAND on April 27 and airs every Wednesday night at 11:00pm. The trailer is available here.

ABOUT ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment company, features more than 50 assets – eight U.S. television networks, ESPN International, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by The Hearst Corporation.

ABOUT VICE MEDIA

VICE is the world’s preeminent youth media company and content creation studio. Launched in 1994, VICE now operates in over 30 countries and distributes its programming to viewers across digital, linear, mobile, film and socials. VICE includes an international network of digital channels; a television and feature film production studio; a magazine; a record label; an in-house creative services agency; a book-publishing division; and a newly launched TV network, VICELAND in partnership with A&E.

VICE, already operating in over 30 territories has built out new content partnerships with the world’s leading media and tech brands, including HBO, Sky, Verizon Snapchat, Canal+ , Rogers—and now, ESPN. These multiscreen partnerships have helped fuel VICE’s ascent to become one of the industry’s leading news and entertainment platforms.Vice

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